We Find People

WV K-9 Search and Rescue, Inc. is a volunteer based, professional canine search and rescue team. Founded in 1988, our team members undergo extensive training and evaluation before they are operational. Proficiency in land navigation, radio communications and search strategy, lost person behavior, incident command system, first aid and wilderness survival are required. 

​Our Mission:
To provide trained dog/handler teams and field team members for the purpose of search and rescue of lost persons, search and recovery of the deceased, natural and urban disaster assistance. To provide innovative and successful training for handlers and working dogs, promote public education regarding the use of canines in this capacity and to provide awareness programs on proactive safety education.

Trailing & Air Scent

A small child finds a the gate in the fence open…an elderly relative does not return form a walk to the mailbox…a car is found unattended at the head of a hiking trail when the park closes…
Our scent discriminating air scent dogs and trailing dogs can search day and night, in rain or snow and in rural or urban environments. The dogs can discriminate one individual human scent from all others if exposed to a properly handled scent article. One dog team can search an area that would take at least 20 human searchers!

Human Remains

An informant tips police to a wooded area as a dump site for a body…a plane crashed into a mountain, human remains are scattered…a house burns down and the owner doesn’t escape…a vehicle is suspected of being used to transport a body….
Our cadaver dogs are trained to locate the scent of a human decomposition from blood to bones. The dogs can locate remains hidden on the ground, buried, or hanging above ground

Water Recovery

A fisherman’s boat is found capsized…a swimmer does not resurface…a car is swept off a flooded road, the water recedes but the driver is not found…
Our water recovery dogs can work on rivers and lakes, from shore and from a boat. Dogs are trained to alert on the gases that rise to the water's surface from the victim. Handlers will work with their dogs using their knowledge of the water's dynamics to reduce the size of the area to be searched.

Pet-loving, Highly Skilled  K9 Handlers & Searchers

Our team is not just our K9's! Their handlers rely on a partner to keep an eye out during the search so the handlers can watch their K9's body language and alerts. We need ground pounders, fundraisers, communications and base management. You can join our team, with or without a K9!

Diversity Statement

We live in a world of great diversity – gender, race, culture, age, sexual orientation, abilities, skills, experience, values, hopes, fears and dreams. In human diversity we see strength, the uniqueness that each of us can contribute to the greater good. By valuing this diversity, we are each afforded, and in turn afford others, the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from our team’s success. We are committed to being an inclusive organization where all volunteers feel valued, respected and engaged.